Owing to the financial position of
the Library being much better at the end of the financial year, it is
more than probable that next year's report will chronicle a
substantially higher increase.

The various volumes of the Herries bequest have been repaired and
rebound where necessary, and have been added to the shelves in their
respective classes.

The total number of catalogued books and other accessions on the 18th
June was over 109,705--which, in view of the fact of the greatly
enhanced cost of books (the Library vote, L700, being to-day only L100
a year more than it was thirty years ago), must be deemed satisfactory.

Important orders for new books are now in course of execution, the
volumes being due early in this year's session. An attempt has been
made to cover all the more important additions in literature on the
great problems of the day; and, whilst economy has had to be practised,
and a careful selection made of the books and publications generally
which really count, it will, I think, be found that very few works of
outstanding merit and importance have been overlooked.

In accordance with the policy of not clashing with the Alexander H.
Turnbull Library, rare and expensive works of literature dealing with
the early history of New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific have not
been bought, but all works of recent and current interest on the
Dominion and the Commonwealth, or affecting the various problems of the
Pacific, are regularly added.

Works on various political and social problems continue to be more
specially favoured by members of both branches of the Legislature, to
whom baskets of books are forwarded during the recess. After these,
biography is most in favour.

LIBRARY STAFF.

During the greater part of last year's recess the Chief Librarian was
absent in Australia in quest of better health; and he may be pardoned,
I trust, for here expressing his personal gratitude to the Minister in
Charge of the Legislative Department (the Hon. Mr. Nosworthy) and the
then Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey), for the great
consideration and kindness these gentlemen displayed in granting him
the necessary leave of absence.

Until the Chief Librarian's return, early in October, Mr. W. S.
Wauchop, M.A., who in August assumed the duties of First Assistant in
the Library, had charge of the institution, under the Joint Library
Committee. Mr. Wauchop has proved himself